Trivial Pursuit
by Caffeine Productions
Summary: The toughest part about being a new student comes with finding your place and learning the past along the way. Dom is one person who knows that she can only learn what is right and wrong for herself... no matter what the risks may be.
1. Welcome to Degrassi

**Author's Note:** My sole mission with this particular story is to try and fit it into the original _Degrassi_ storyline as well as possible. Meaning, basically, that nothing about the school's students is to be _drastically_ different by the time this reaches the show's current season. (Will it actually make it that far? We'll have to wait and see.) Some events and timelines may be altered (a little), but it will be necessary to make this approach work.

**TRIVIAL PURSUIT** by Caffeine Productions  
**CHAPTER ONE: Welcome to Degrassi**

Degrassi Community School. The city of Toronto. Dominica knew no more.

It should have been a drastic, almost traumatizing move, but her mom seemed more concerned about her than she was. Maybe Dominica had just grown numb to all of the problems. Maybe that was what happened when so many bad events occurred one after the other, always cramped closely together.

Not that she didn't still miss her dad… That would ultimately take the longest to fade.

Her main intent on that first day of New School was not to draw attention to herself; it could only make getting started difficult. Of course, in order to remain inconspicuous, she would've had to alter her entire appearance. Something about her punk-girl persona just seemed to draw eyes even when there were more people around that shared her style. Or maybe it was how out-of-place her New York Rangers T-shirt (youth-sized for the proper fit) was against both the Canadian background and the rest of her dark ensemble. If a friend from her old school had been with her, however, she would have denied all of this and _insisted_ that it was simply the Italian beauty that Dominica was fortunate to have… but she wouldn't be quick to listen, smile or no.

After all, she wasn't entirely Italian.

Disregarding the stares and curious glances, a few double-takes thrown in for good measure, nobody actually acknowledged the new student with words until she found herself in the main office. She was thankful that somebody had kept an eye out for her; she couldn't imagine what could be worse than needing to figure out the ropes of this place by herself. The man held out his hand to her and stated, "You must be Dominica, the new girl."

"Right," Dominica responded, taking the man's hand and shaking it.

"I'm Principal Raditch. I have your schedule and information with me here…" Principal Raditch handed her a couple pieces of paper. Then, he went on, speaking quickly to try and get the initial instructions finished in as little time as possible, "Eleanor Nash has kindly offered to show you around. If you have any questions, she'll be happy to help.

"Finally, welcome to Degrassi."

The door opened. This girl—Eleanor Nash—had stunningly red hair, a color that always struck Dominica as refreshingly unique whenever she saw it… especially when it wasn't a dye-job.

Both in fishnet sleeves and dark clothes, Dominica and Eleanor looked rather alike… minus Dominica's black hair, slightly darker skin, and the hockey shirt.

"I'm Ellie," was Eleanor's greeting.

Dominica answered with, "I'm Dom."

Ellie broke a smile. With a nod, she added, "I'm thinking that the two of us won't have any problem getting along."

Dom was led to her locker, Ellie giving a bit of direction to places such as the bathroom and Dom's first class along the way. Then, Ellie insisted that meeting other students was in order before getting a tour of the rest of the building. It was almost impossible not to try looking in every direction at once as Dom walked alongside the red-haired girl, taking in the sights and students of her new, hopefully-permanent school. She was finding herself feeling rather content already, despite first days being a stressful matter in themselves.

Out of nowhere, Ellie stopped talking. Her attention seemed to have been claimed by another matter. A boy was trying to signal to her from around the corner. Short, blonde hair. Muscular. By the look on Ellie's face, it was her boyfriend. He was trying to get her to come to him. Alone.

"Uh…" Ellie paused a second. "That's Sean… Will you excuse me for a moment? Feel free to do a little exploring on your own if you feel up to it. Come over in about ten minutes, okay? We'll be by the big window around the corner. You can't miss it."

Dom nodded, watched as Ellie jogged over to Sean, then decided to search for a place where she could direct _her_ attention.

Wandering was always an option… No reason to interrupt Ellie and Sean's conversation prematurely.

For some reason, there's always that good possibility that you're going to _literally_ run into somebody if you don't pay attention while you're walking, whether it be in a crowded school or on a deserted sidewalk. The chance of this happening also seems to increase with how distracted you really are. Dom didn't normally make such a mistake, but this environment was so fascinatingly new to her that there was really no avoiding it. She collided with a boy hard enough to make her ears ring, and her Rangers messenger bag fell from its loose position on her shoulder as the boy's books dropped to the floor right along with his own bag. Dom was immediately down on her knees to help him pick them up.

"Oh… damn," Dom muttered. She grabbed a few of the books, and the boy grabbed the rest. He seemed severely shaken by their collision, if not downright anxious. When Dom slid his black messenger bag toward him, he flinched back a little, like someone who had grown accustomed to expecting attacks from those around him.

Dom finally looked up at him as the two of them straightened up at the same instant. His face was framed in long, well-kempt brown hair, and there was a shimmer on the circular lenses of his glasses that somehow drew Dom's attention.

"I'm so sorry about that…" Dom quickly apologized. That seemed to bring the boy out of himself a bit… enough to accept his books back, at least. "I've been trying to take in everything at once… It's my first day here. I'm Dominica, by the way. Dom for short."

"I'm Rick."

It wasn't until she noticed Rick's new smile that she became aware of her own. There was something about him… Dom couldn't explain it; she was just drawn to it.

And to think that this was only day one…

Adjusting her bag so that the strap ran across her chest (thus making it harder to drop this time), she told Rick, "I should probably get back before it's too late to finish my miniature tour… I'm still learning my way around here."

"I'll see you around, then?" Rick asked quietly, almost secretively. Dom felt her smile become just a bit wider. Before she turned around to walk away, she met Rick's eyes a final time and said sweetly,

"Yeah. Yeah, you will."

That expression that just felt so utterly idiotic on her face was still there when Dom turned the corner to where Ellie had gone. She and Sean were sitting in front of an obvious, large window along with two other boys and one more girl. One of those boys was tall, long, curly blonde hair on his head, donned in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey of its blue home-style. His arm was over the shoulders of the considerably shorter boy next to him. Dom recognized this second guy as Italian instantly because of his dark hair and skin of a few shades darker than her own.

Their final companion was in a pink-and-white outfit that looked to have taken a decent amount of coordinating and putting-together, every piece a flawless match other than the bright orange ribbon pinned to her shirt. This girl had blonde hair with shimmering, frizz-free curls. Up until she caught Dom coming toward them through her peripheral vision, she and Ellie were sharing a conversation. When the blonde girl looked up, so did Ellie.

"Just the moment for introductions. I didn't think we'd have time before our first class."

Dom made the approach. Once she stopped next to Ellie, the red-haired girl stood up and continued to speak.

"Dom, this is Paige—" The blonde, fashionable female. "—Marco—" The Italian. "—Dylan, Marco's boyfriend—" That would be the curly-haired boy. Ellie shot a small glance toward Dylan and Marco as though wondering if either of them would mind the divulgence of such information to a total stranger, but they showed no such signs. Ellie had undoubtedly worded her acceptance of this newcomer, and the two boys appeared willing to take her word for it. "—and, finally, Sean.

"This," Ellie turned to address the group, "is Dominica. Dom."

"Isn't that name Italian?"

That was Marco. His question was almost amusing, but only because he cut off Dylan; the taller boy opened his mouth to say something himself, but Marco beat him to it.

"'Dominica'? Yeah, it's Italian. I'm only a quarter Italian myself, though. The rest is Irish," Dom explained.

"And you're from New York," Dylan added. It wasn't a question.

"Right."

"Big hockey fan?" Dylan went on.

"Absolutely. There would be no life without it."

"Wow." Paige's turn. She sounded more tired than anything. "What are the chances of one new student coming here and having something in common with all three of you?"

"I told you that we wouldn't have any trouble with this one," Ellie said, looking pleased. Maybe even a little relieved. "Come on, Dom, I'll actually _show_ you to your first class this time, just to be sure you don't get lost. We can let the others interview you later."

The five Degrassi students grouped together and led Dom through the halls. She didn't necessarily _need_ to walk behind them, but it seemed helpful in preventing another accidental collision.

Speaking of the event… Dom spotted Rick just as the thought of him passed through her mind. He was standing off to the side near a row of lockers not too far away from where they originally met. She smiled at him as she went past, and he instantly returned the gesture.

She liked his smile. There was no denying it.

Dominica was quick to accept such a positive interaction from this new-school experience. For the first time in years, she could find nothing wrong with her situation. Who could let that go to waste?

Curiosity didn't cross her mind over the vibrant ribbon that Paige wore. She had no reason to wonder. As observant as she was in a place that had her in awe when things could have gone straight to hell instead, she just didn't realize how many of these ribbons were actually floating around with the disgruntled students of a drama-filled school.


	2. A Dream

**TRIVIAL PURSUIT** by Caffeine Productions  
**CHAPTER TWO: A Dream**

Dom was prepared to estimate that she would be spending every day of the next couple weeks getting caught up in her classes… and she hadn't even made it to lunch yet. It wasn't as though she had other concerns in a city where she had never been before.

Still… it left room for any number of new possibilities…

Back in New York City, Dom didn't have such a powerful sense of opportunity. Oh, sure, there was that ice hockey team for the interested high school-aged, but it didn't always go hand-in-hand with the prospect of chance. It was the only nearby team… and it was still six miles away. There were limited spaces open. Not many other high school teams saw much worth in competing with this small-time one, anyway. Soon before Dominica and her mother left for Toronto, there was nothing at all left of this mediocre team.

If there was one thing that Dom hoped to have right about her new country, it was the high importance placed on hockey.

She had already done a decent amount of research on the sports provided by Degrassi. The school's field hockey team was a decent choice, no lie there, but it wasn't necessarily the aim that Dom had. She had put an exceptional amount of work into learning to skate and perfecting her play on a rink, and she didn't intend on settling for a substitute of the sport if she didn't have to.

Nope, field hockey wasn't her passion. For that reason, Dom had taken her research an extra step further: to the areas _surrounding_ Degrassi. Up the street from where she and her mom were now living was a hockey rink, a considerable-sized arena that was home to Toronto's own neighborhood-based team for the school-aged. The Toronto Tigercats.

To sum up Dom's simple plan, she had the intent of checking available spaces, then trying out for a position. If it worked out that far, maybe Dom could start thinking about a permanent spot on a permanent team.

The problem with this whole idea was that it could very well wind up being an "easier-said-than-done" case. Getting a spot alone was far greater than necessary. She _needed_ it, there was no doubt, especially with—

"Dom?"

Dominica closed her locker. Turning, she came face-to-face with Rick. He was looking a decent bit more cheerful than he had when Dom first saw him, and Dom's own thoughtful expression vanished into a calmer one. It was strange how her mood could suddenly be manipulated in a simple blink of the eye. Normally, she could only be found in a negative frame of mind.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" Rick asked her.

The cafeteria was the next stop of the day, for which Dominica was immensely grateful. While she was finding herself comfortable and content in the new school, she was ready for the day to end… or, at least, for a break in the workload. Lunch was exactly what her sanity called for.

"That sounds good to me," Dom said. She couldn't keep the tired sigh out of her voice. Or… did she find it unavoidable for an entirely different reason? It was just a little too soon to wonder…

They walked to the cafeteria together, and they got their lunch together. As a person that was far more familiar with hostility than she would like admitting to even herself, that deeper, more intuitive part of her brain was always aware of cautious glances in their direction. But she was gifted with a form of selective attention. She could choose to ignore certain aspects of her environment… so long as she had the right help in doing so. By now, it was at least safe to say that sharing a conversation with Rick fell into this category.

Sitting across from one another at an otherwise-empty table, trays of food before them, stares of uncertainty upon them, Rick showed an unexpected level of sincere curiosity in this new girl. And Dom was unexpectedly comfortable with it.

"Coming all the way from New York sounds drastic," Rick commented. "What could possibly make a person move to a different country at such an inconvenient time?"

Dom glanced down at the Rangers logo on her shirt, then allowed her eyes to skim what portion of the cafeteria was before her.

"It was my mother's idea," she finally answered. "She just… wanted a change in scenery. To let the both of us experience something new."

How obvious was that momentary hesitation in Dom's voice? Enough for Rick to notice? Dom might have been able to find out if not for Ellie's sudden arrival. Rick was prepared to respond when Dom's volunteer escort showed up beside her… from, Dom could've sworn, entirely out of nowhere.

Perhaps the "normal" Dominica would've had a word to say about the interruption, but there was something about the fretful look on Ellie's face that made her think twice. Maybe intuition was at work again. She merely glanced back at Rick, then turned back to Ellie without a word.

"Um… Dom…" Ellie's hesitation was only a temporary display. "_Paige_ would, I'm sure, appreciate it if you were to come with me to her table. She wants to introduce you to some of her friends."

Ellie's emphasis on "Paige" was unusually strong. On top of that, there was a movement in her eyes—a sharp dart to Rick, then back to Dom—that was a clear sign of nervousness, like the reaction that a person would show when they're worried about getting caught doing something that they shouldn't. It was also clear that she didn't want Dom to be aware of this, be it obvious or not.

"Sure," was all that Dom said to her. Then, she addressed Rick with, "I'll be right back," and allowed Ellie to lead her away. Rick, at that point, had a look of sad discomfort all his own.

At Paige's table, Paige and Marco were sharing space with three other students that Dom had yet to see. The boy that Paige herself was next to had a considerable amount of light, curly hair of his own. His ears were pierced, including a small ring on the inside of his left. Two others were sitting across from him, one a darker girl with shiny, rusty-brown-colored hair, the other a black boy with short, black hair of tight curls. These two could immediately be pegged together as a couple because of how closely together they sat. And a similar conclusion could be drawn as far as the boy next to Paige was concerned—she would occasionally rest her head, an arm, or both on him.

"Here she is," Paige announced as Dom approached. The blonde stood up. Dom felt like some kind of celebrity turning up at a V.I.P. party, an illusion that wasn't the least bit comfortable when surrounded by strangers. She was an eyebrow-raise away from her own version of a nervous, uncertain expression.

Paige continued.

"I'd like you to meet Dom, the newest tenth-grader at Degrassi. From New York. _So_ jealous, by the way. Dom, meet Hazel and Jimmy. And, of course, Spinner, my fabulous boyfriend."

Paige indicated the girl and boy across from her, respectively, ending with the boy that she sat next to. Each member of this group was wearing an orange ribbon to match Paige's somewhere on their clothes. This time, the new student was more aware of them, but she still saw no reason to mention it. Her curiosity wasn't on those yet.

Instead, she spoke to Marco, who was seated on one end of the table, "Hey, Marco, what happened to Dylan?"

His absence was considerably noticeable when compared to the prospect of these popular ribbons. Dom, after all, was first introduced to Dylan and Marco together, so they automatically came to mind that way. It was just a matter of natural conditioning, and it would likely wear off in a day or so.

"He goes to University. He was just visiting us this morning."

Marco's answer was closely followed by Paige adding, "But nevermind my brother. Are you in the mood to see the after-school way of life for Degrassi students?"

"'Way of—'?"

Thus marked the second interruption that Dom faced in the span of five minutes. Another girl with blonde hair joined them, nearly scaring Dom with the sudden appearance that she managed. (Again, for the second time that day.) Simply enough, this girl—Emma—needed no introduction, thanks to her and Dom being in the same grade level. She was looking satisfied. Not that it hadn't been the first expression that Dom saw her wearing, but it had become more pronounced by now.

"More success in the campaign?" Paige asked her. Emma nodded, and Paige adopted a satisfied look of her own. Dom merely looked on with her expression of confusion. Her eyes were down to the few orange ribbons that Emma was carrying in one hand.

Emma caught the new girl's gaze.

"Want a 'Students Against Violence' ribbon? They're only a dollar donation. You'd be supporting a school-wide cause."

Emma held out the handful of pins. Both Dom's face and body posture turned, if possible, more nervous and uncomfortable… almost defensive. She imagined that there'd be first-day strain… but not _quite_ like this instance.

"Uh… I don't have any money with me right now… Besides, it'd be a little too ironic for me. Hockey, you know. Checking. Fighting. General violence." Even to Dom, the reasoning sounded a bit lame, but it was the best that she could come up with on the spot. This "new life" that her mom wanted for them wasn't about to be destroyed by a dose of the truth…

"You know, I think I'm going to let you guys get back to your lunch," Dom said. This was getting far too awkward for her. "My food is at another table…"

Dom couldn't see Ellie, but she was sure that she felt the red-haired girl shift nervously behind her. Ellie didn't speak, however.

"Well… then I'll make sure that you get the tour of the town sometime," Paige said. She could see that Dom wasn't at peace with the group. Instead of asking why, she only assumed that it dealt with first-day jitters. "You haven't lived until you've had a frappe at The Dot."

"Looking forward to it."

Paige left it at a nod. Dom waved at the group without saying any more, then left. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that she couldn't keep her life a total secret forever, but, then again, there would be no better reason to try than this one; by the looks of it, she already had friends, a good, new life ahead of her… and, basically, nothing that she would want to risk ruining.

Rick's face brightened at her arrival.

"I'm glad you're back," he told her.

"Glad to be back," Dom returned.

It really was, she realized, rather amazing that there were so many of those ribbons around the school. She sat down and allowed herself to take it in. When she glanced around the cafeteria, she realized that one-in-five students, at _least_, were wearing them on their clothes. "Students Against Violence"? What could possibly bring about the need for a school to openly display such a cause?

"Rick, do you know what—?"

"Dominica Nakia?"

Interruption number three. It _had_ to be some sort of record.

An adult, possibly a teacher, was standing behind Dom, trying to get her attention. This time, faced with a final test on her nerves, Dom turned with an irritated expression and the response to match.

"Um, hi?"

This stranger, however, didn't sound fazed by the tone.

"Dominica? You haven't gotten the chance to come see me yet, I assume. I'm Ms. Sauve, the guidance counselor here at Degrassi."

"Counselor? Oh… my mom must've called…" Dom's irritation dropped immediately.

"Yes, she did, as a matter of fact," Ms. Sauve confirmed. "No, Ms. Nakia, don't bother getting up. I only wanted to see how your first day was going. I can tell by the looks of this, though, that it's actually going well for both students that I had meant to check up on. Sorry for the interruption."

With that, Ms. Sauve walked off. Dom was feeling rather embarrassed, and Rick was looking a little as if he felt the same way. He livened back up rather quickly, though, as if a new thought had just come to him, and he repeated, "'Nakia'?"

Dom almost laughed. "It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? You don't see an Egyptian last name that often, I'll bet."

"Egyptian?" Rick's fascination returned. "Are you…?"

Dom shook her head. "Not at all," she told him. "The name came from somewhere in my dad's side of the family. Nobody knows where it started. He used to have this joke about it… He liked to say that he had an ancestor in the Italian Mafia. There came a time when anyone involved was at risk for getting caught, so he ran off and changed his name to make sure that he escaped without any trace of guilt.

"But it was only a joke, of course. I mean, you can't really come up with anything that isn't a little ridiculous when it comes to a name like Nakia in an Irish-Italian family."

This amused Rick. Hypnotized by his smile, so lost in the experiences that she was already having in this new school, what she had originally meant to ask him completely slipped her mind. It was like a dream… but she was missing out on a lot of reality. A lot of truth.

Sooner or later, she'd have to wake up.


	3. Jay and Alex

**TRIVIAL PURSUIT** by Caffeine Productions  
**CHAPTER THREE: Jay and Alex**

"I don't want frequent visits here to be necessary, as I'm sure that you must have enough on your mind already."

Dominica kept her eyes fixed on the walls. Paint was chipping off of a corner near the ceiling. Nothing had fallen yet, but the loose pieces were obvious. Totally unimportant, yes, but easier to look at than Ms. Sauve. It was all about that familiar paranoia that any person could read what you're thinking if you only put your eyes in plain view.

"That's why I wanted to speak with you as soon as possible. I know that you've been through more than a teenager should have to deal with, but if you ever want to speak to me about what happened after your dad died..."

The student finally settled her eyes on the counselor. She could feel the nervousness rising, the perspiration forming on her body. It happened each and every time _any_ counselor, psychiatrist, therapist, whatever wanted to talk about what she had been through. Or, better yet, _put_ herself through.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Sauve, but I prefer not to talk about it," Dom admitted. "If I don't, maybe it will just disappear."

It wasn't _worth_ talking about, either. Another country, another town, even another person if Dom could spring her change in personality. Might as well be an entirely different era.

"I understand," Ms. Sauve said. Her voice was always steady, and she always wore a smile. It reminded Dom a little of her mom. No matter what happened, even if could see in her eyes that she'd rather cry, she could always put on a smile around her daughter. But Dom, unfortunately, didn't inherit such a quality. Her feelings were always worn clearly on her face. "You don't have to tell me anything that you'd rather not. If you would prefer a change in subject... well, I've noticed that you and Richard seem to be getting along. That'll be good. For the both of you, that is."

"Both of us?"

"Richard is a good kid, like you. But, also like you, he's had some problems in the past." Answering Dom's intent stare, Ms. Sauve added, "Whenever the two of you are ready to share your pasts with each other, I'm sure that you'll each benefit." Meaning that she couldn't tell Dom herself. Anyone could have figured that, but it never hurt to make the effort.

"So... are we done?" Dom prompted.

"I guess so. But remember that you can come back _any_ time if you feel that you need to."

"Thanks, but I think I've had enough counseling for one lifetime."

With that, Dom grabbed her bag and left the office. She had no intent whatsoever of coming back. There was only so much psychoanalysis that a person could take, and Dom had met her limit way before Degrassi. Plus, she was supposed to be at the hockey arena for tryouts ten minutes ago.

When it came to Dom's determination to go through with a plan, it was usually hard to break her focus. But the violent slam of a locker startled her right out of her concentration. Normal a sound as it was to hear in a school, something about how loud it was made her feel the need to investigate. Curiosity was also fairly common in her family.

The source became quickly obvious. It was louder than it should have been because it wasn't the sound of a slamming locker; it was the sound of someone slamming _into_ a locker. Rick was on the floor, his bag next to him, looking disheveled and highly uncomfortable. Standing over him was a guy that Dom had yet to meet. He was wearing a backwards hat, sunglasses resting on the front, an unusual fashion accessory that didn't seem to fit the school-building scene. His face was wearing a discomforting combination of menace and amusement. Next to him was a black-haired girl in hoop earrings and a white tank top, her facial expression indescribable as anything other than disgust.

Dominica wasn't the hero type. She was more accustomed to _causing_ trouble. But that didn't mean that she liked what she was seeing now. She didn't like to think that somebody was hurting Rick, no matter what his past consisted of. She felt close to this boy, and she had only known him for a day—long enough for her protective instincts to kick in.

"Don't touch him." No yelling. No quiver. All that could be heard in Dom's voice was the calm before the storm, even enough to say that she was under control right down to her vocal cords but still unwilling to accept opposition.

"Keep out of this, new girl," the female warned. "It doesn't concern you."

"You're right on one level," Dom said. She was still speaking with her calm voice, though she couldn't look at Rick because the boy was quivering like cornered prey. The duo was watching her intently, as if being defied was a rare experience for them. "What you do and even who you are is absolutely none of my business. But since your business _here_ also concerns Rick... oh, I'm in this now."

"Wait, the two of you have met?" the guy asked. There _was_ surprise in his voice, but it was minuscule compared to that torturous amusement that he continued to display. "Well, in that case, I'm Jay, this is Alex... and we're doing you an enormous favor."

The newly introduced Jay reared his arm back as if getting ready to strike Rick with a closed fist, but Dom was ready for it the moment she heard the aggression in the guy's voice. She grabbed Rick's arm and lifted him up off the floor. Jay's hand found a locker instead. He gasped and jumped back, but otherwise made no sound of pain... though it was obvious that it hurt. The girl, Alex, merely kept her hateful eyes on Rick like _he_ had taken a shot at Jay, rather than the other way around.

Glancing quickly at his knuckles, Jay took a few meaningful steps toward them. More anger was beginning to show now. Dom wasn't aware of her grip tightening on Rick, but Jay didn't intend on trying his method again.

"You want to protect this psycho this time? Fine. Your choice. But you'll be the one begging for protection later."

As Alex and Jay gave one another an all-knowing expression and walked away, Dom mentally reminded herself that it was _never_ possible to make friends with _every_body. And she accepted that just as quickly as it came to her; these two didn't seem like they _tried_ to make friends.

It took a moment for Dom to realize that she had Rick held in a tight hug. She let him go, feeling a little awkward now that the threat had disappeared. Rick didn't seem to mind that, though.

"Thank you," he muttered. It wasn't easy to decide if he was feeling more bothered by Jay's attempts to hurt him or what had been said in response to Dom's defense.

"You don't have to thank me. I wasn't going to stand there and let him hurt you."

"You must be the only one that wouldn't."

Rick probably hadn't meant to say it, but he couldn't take it back once he had, and he took on a melancholy expression. Dom could feel it in the air—hurt and mounting discomfort. She didn't know what to say because she didn't know where his pain came from, so she did the only thing that she could think of.

She asked.

"I feel strange asking you this, and I would totally understand if you'd rather not answer... but, Rick... why did this happen?"

"What do you mean?"

Dom took a deep breath. She hated when people felt the need to ask her about her history, and she was sure that Rick must've felt the same way. The thing was, she wanted so desperately to be there for him, but she couldn't do that if she didn't know what she was being there _for_.

"You were just being bullied by students wearing ribbons for an anti-violence campaign. There has to be a reason for why that happened."

Rick stayed silent, but Dom thought she was beginning to understand.

"They're about you, aren't they? Those orange ribbons?" Still silent. "Rick, you can tell me what happened. I promise that I'll be supportive."

Most people just don't open up to somebody that they've known for a day. It takes a certain sense of trust. For many, it can be hard to find. For some... well, the key is that they know when they have it. There was apparently something that Rick found in Dom that he believed with all of his mind that he could trust.

Rick slid down to the floor, where Dom immediately joined him. Once he was into the flow of his story, he kept going as if trying to get it all out as quickly and smoothly as he could, and Dom had no reason to interrupt him... not that she would have. She just listened intently, nodding on occasion, as Rick told her about Terri, how he turned up as her secret admirer. He went from the performance of Marco's play to the jealousy, his need for control and the uncontrollable anger that resulted, finally working his way up to the drive with Paige, Spinner, Jimmy, and Terri.

By this part of the story, he had started shaking again, and it seemed that he was having more trouble keeping his voice steady. Dom took his hand for encouragement, reacting as if it had been instilled into her ages ago. With a deep breath, Rick went on, describing how it took no more than the blink of an eye to find Terri laying on the ground, bleeding from her head... and knowing that it was his own fault.

Devastation showed on his face by the time he stopped speaking. He felt horrible about it, and undoubtedly worried about how Dom was going to react. But the girl kept his hand held in hers. When it looked like he wanted to break from the worry and the guilt, Dom could only take him back into her arms.


	4. Fourth Generation Rich Kid

**Author's Note:** My mission was to get this finished before July ended, but I kept getting ahead of myself and working on later chapters of the story... Hey, sometimes you just have to make sure that an idea gets written down before you lose the inspiration. Anyway, thanks to all of those who sent reviews. This chapter's little more than a small insight into Dominica's character to help build up the plot, but I hope you enjoy!

**TRIVIAL PURSUIT** by Caffeine Productions  
**CHAPTER FOUR: Fourth-Generation Rich Kid**

Tryouts could wait...

Wow, Dom never thought she'd put those three words together...

Rick had calmed down. It was clear that he hadn't relived his last year at Degrassi for a while. Dom could see why, of course. Who, if in the same position as Rick, wouldn't want to keep the story to himself? It was horrible, traumatic, and... yes, Dom understood that she should be in the same place as Paige, Jimmy, Spinner, Jay, Alex, Emma, and, hell, probably the whole school, with their ribbons and ass-kicking attitudes, but her brain just didn't function that way. For starters, this story didn't sound at all like Rick. Not like the Rick that _Dom_ knew, at least. He had just been shoved into a locker and threatened without any sign of returned aggression. Second, he insisted that he had changed. He insisted that he was getting help for his temper. Dom believed him, naïve or not.

They were still sitting on the floor in front of the lockers. By now, very few other students were left in the building, if any. There was no telling how much time had passed; Dom didn't wear a watch, and she didn't feel like checking her cell phone. Rick had a watch on, but time wasn't a big concern for him at the moment.

She settled her eyes on him. He was looking at his shoes like a child that had just been scolded.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dom asked. She wanted to say something better, a little more reassuring, but she couldn't think of what that was. Rick, on the other hand, was now looking as if she had asked him a question more along the lines of, "Are you really an alien from another universe?"

"Yeah, I-I'm okay." A pause. "But aren't you disturbed? Disgusted?"

While Rick's expression remained unchanged with these questions, Dom found herself smiling a little. It was amusement at the sheer irony in Rick's concerns. She couldn't really help it, not even when she slowly shook her head to deny what he had asked.

"I've seen more than just a couple of people at their all-time worsts." Now she was looking thoughtful. It was hard to determine if the slight smile she still held was genuine or forced. Doubt remained on Rick's face. Either Dom's obscure reassurance wasn't enough, or it was just far too difficult for him to accept it that easily.

Again, it was understandable.

"Look... I'm pretty sure that I don't have enough food for an overnight stay in the school. Unless we plan on breaking into the snack machines for dinner, I'm thinkin' it might be a good time to give my mom a call for rides home."

Before Dom was even able to try searching her bag for her cell, Rick quickly threw in, "I could take you home."

He started to get up, and Dom followed suit.

"That would be a lot easier than forcing my mom to get up... Thanks, I appreciate it."

To Dom, it sounded as if Rick's kind offer was also partially a test. If she refused, that may be reason for Rick to justify doubt that he didn't want to feel. If Dom agreed, however, as she had, maybe matters weren't as bad as he had originally believed.

Dom's house, the one shared between only her and her mother, had far too much space for two people alone to need. It was the first that they had come across near the school, though, and neither of them were much for house-hunting.

"Mom doesn't need to work at all, night-shift or otherwise," Dom explained to Rick, showing him around the expansive first floor. Of course, those words were obvious enough just by simply looking around. "She just likes to keep busy every hour that she's awake. She works from one 'til nine in the morning at some factory across town. I don't think she even knows how to function without a job."

The front door led into a short, thin hallway separating the dining room from the kitchen. Both the dining room and living room were decorated with whites, grays, and light-blues. The kitchen went along a different color-scheme, using a pale yellow, rather than blue, alongside the white and gray. Each room was large enough to throw three separate parties; there was nothing small about them.

Dom brought Rick a glass of water and sat down with him on the blue, three-person couch, one of the three creating a square around an HD plasma television.

"Thank you," he said. After a sip, "Uh, where did the money come from, if not from employment?"

"Mainly inheritance. First, from my mom's parents. Then my dad's. That was already a lot, but once my dad died, there was insurance and the compensation from his job on top of it. Kind of like one giant family lottery. I'm basically just some fourth-generation rich kid. But it's really nothing more than a means to focus on something other than not having Dad around."

"What happened to your father?"

"Car crash. I was in it with him. I make it out with a couple of scratches and bruises, he dies overnight in the hospital from internal bleeding that they hadn't even thought to check for."

"That must have been difficult..."

"Well, the lawsuit got us here." Dom motioned around at the mansion of a house. "Didn't do a damn thing for the survivor's guilt."

There was a creak on the second floor, the sound of somebody walking around above them.

"Mom's up," Dom finished. Momentarily, bitterness had flashed on her face at the mention of the hospital where her dad had breathed his last breath, then sadness at the mention of "survivor's guilt." Now, though, her expression cleared into one a little more mellow.

Rick remained looking apologetic. For some reason, that expression brought a small, relaxed smile to Dom's face, and her eyes seemed to say, "Sorry about that." Once she got started in the full-swing of venting a mood, it was often tough for her to get out of it right away. Goodness knew that it had caused problems before.

A woman stepped into the living room, dark eyes still half-closed from grogginess. Her hair was raven-black like Dominica's, but her skin was darker. Full-blooded Italian.

"How was your first day, Dom?" the woman asked. She was looking at Rick curiously.

"Not bad, Mom," Dom answered. "Um, this is Rick. I met him at school today. He gave me the ride home."

"I'm glad to see that you're making friends so soon." Despite Mrs. Nakia's fully Italian appearance, her voice was free of any hint of the accent; she was born and raised in their former home of New York City. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" she added to Rick.

Rick looked surprised, almost uncertain. He glanced over at Dom, who nodded, actually looking happier than she had all day.

"We'd love to have you," she added.

"Alright, I'll... call Mother and let her know where I'll be..."

Dom furrowed her eyebrows at this. As her mom grabbed the house phone for Rick, she dug into her bag, which she had tossed in front of the couch, for the infamous phone that she _still_ hadn't gotten out.

"Which reminds me," she said, "I should try calling the hockey arena and see if I can still get a tryout."

No doubt, it was kind of impossible to make the _team_ if she didn't make the _tryouts_... and it was definitely far too late for today's...

"I'm fine. No, nothing is wrong. Really, you worry too much." That was Rick. "I'll be with a friend for dinner. I'll be home afterward."

Mrs. Nakia accepted the phone back from him when he was done. By the time she told him, "Make yourself at home," Dom was almost finished with her call as well.

"_Your determination tells me that you're confident in your playing ability. Come in the day after tomorrow, afternoon. The team doesn't have practice then. That will be your one extra chance."_

It was either the coach or a trainer that she was talking to. She figured it more likely to be a trainer, since she had yet to meet a hockey coach that was so laid-back, especially as far as lateness was concerned. Not that who she was talking to was important; it was what was said.

"Absolutely. I'll be there."

And that was the end.

Dom wound up helping her mom with dinner, both of them insisting all the while that Rick just relax and be their guest. The meal itself consisted of chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, scalloped potatoes in a cheese sauce, and steamed green beans. For only three people, two of them teenagers, it was Dom's mom going overboard again.

Extended cooking time meant that Dom had the chance to show Rick around the rest of the house. Most unique of all was Dom's bedroom, the first wall off to the left of the door donned with New York Rangers posters over a light-gray paint. Dom's bed was up against this wall, matching well with its blue sheets. A computer desk was up against another wall, complete with a desktop computer and an office chair. Against the wall across from the bed was a TV stand and a television set. It wasn't as elaborate as the one in the living room, but it was of considerable size.

Otherwise, the rest of the room's furniture was mostly boxes, just as it was with numerous ones scattered around the house, where they would remain until the family felt compelled to unpack them.

Rick was the one to sit down on a small stack of these, wearing the expression of a person that just needs a break from a vigorous workout. Dom caught it quickly, as if she had an emotional radar.

"I... hope you didn't feel pressured to stay," she gave. "It's Mom's way of saying that she likes you, you know. She has a very good sense of character."

"No, I'm glad that she asked me," Rick told her. "I'm just having a tough time believing that this is happening. After last year..."

"Dwelling on regret is not a good thing."

Rick gave her a look that said only too well, "Easy for you to say." He didn't speak, though. Not that he had to; that look was enough to bring bitterness to the room that you could almost _taste_. It became clear to Dom that getting full trust out of him was going to take more than a meal and a kind word or two. But she wasn't about to try forcing him into it.

Not that she could...

With a sigh, she merely went with, "Come on. Dinner should be just about ready."

All three of them were quiet as they ate. Whether or not Dom's mother had been hoping for a talkative, cheerful meal didn't matter. It was as if they were eating solely out of mechanical behavior, each of them lost in a cloud of their own thoughts.


	5. Ribbon Campaign's Over

**Author's Note:** It was my original intent to get this up on Feb. 23, Ephraim Ellis's birthday (he's the actor that played Rick), but, alas, the interwebz have not been my friend. Since it would've just been cruel and unusual to wait until next year, here I am at last!

**TRIVIAL PURSUIT** by Caffeine Productions  
**CHAPTER FIVE: Ribbon Campaign's Over**

Two days later found Dominica Nakia finishing up with her hockey tryouts, planning to meet Rick afterward at a place known as The Dot Grill.

"Miss Nakia, you're a bit on the slow side, though an all-around exceptional skater," the trainer was telling her. "With a little work on your endurance level, I'm certain that you could bring a lot to this team, but I'm afraid that we just don't have any available positions right now."

Dom stared at him incredulously, an expression undeniably heightened by her worn-out, open-mouthed pant.

"Listen," the trainer went on, well aware of the effect that his bad news had caused, "we have many older players moving on next year. It may be too late for you to get a spot this season, but the next one will be wide open. Keep in shape, make sure to practice your technique, and there is no doubt in my mind that you could fill one of those positions."

"A _senior_ spot?"

The trainer nodded. "Work hard up until then and you can consider it done."

"That's way better than nothing, especially with coming in two days late..."

With a final nod from the trainer, Dom left the ice. She dropped her duffel bag full of gear in an unused corner of the girl's dressing room, deciding that it would be easier to come in and practice if she left all of her equipment there... minus her hockey stick, of course. Instead, she carried that out over her shoulder. Her family had always known well enough that she was completely loyal to hockey and had the full intent of playing someday. The stick had been the last gift that she received from her parents before her dad's death. It was the most precious thing that she owned.

The Dot Grill (or just "The Dot") was simply a ten-minute walk from Dom's house, twenty from the hockey arena. Nothing major compared to skating speed-laps back and forth across fresh ice. But, then again, not really as exciting, either.

After being told that The Dot was a major Degrassi hangout spot (Rick had asked if she'd had such a place back home, and she answered, "Yeah, McDonald's"), Dom had been expecting a much larger crowd than she found. There were a few people scattered throughout with cups of coffee and the occasional plate of food, but nothing remotely impressive.

Dom shrugged to herself and stepped up to the counter. There wasn't any sign of Rick yet, so she got two to-go cups of coffee, one for him and one for herself. She wasn't consciously aware of ordering drinks that indicated an intent not to stay; that was just how it happened.

"Hey, it's the new girl."

Dom turned, the coffees in her hands. The voice came from a guy that she was sure was in the grade above her. She believed his name was Ty, but it was a matter of discerning his actual name from something that her mind just made up on the spot. Truthfully, when it came down to it, she'd had no idea that he even knew who she was. He was an Asian guy with dark hair and dark eyes, along with a friendly-looking face. Other than his appearance, though, Dom knew nothing about him.

Since she had to wait for Rick anyway, she went to sit down at the table that Ty was occupying by himself. As she did so, the boy went on conversationally, "You're learning the ropes of the neighborhood pretty quickly, I see."

"Trying to," Dom admitted. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, I don't see many people who carry hockey sticks around with them. You may be trying _too_ hard."

Dom made an amused sort of grunt.

"I just came from hockey tryouts.

"But where is everybody? I thought it was going to be crowded as hell in here."

"Oh, you missed them. A whole group of people ran outside like there was a fire." Ty took a sip of his own coffee. "I think there was going to be a fight."

"What? A fight?"

"Yeah." Dom was staring at him intensely, so he knew to go on. "The usual crowd was sitting near the door, and this guy just says hi to one of them and gets tripped on his way out. They all moved outside after that."

Just like that, something clicked in Dom's mind. It had the force of a stone hitting a glass window.

"Damn." Dom stood up, taking hold of her hockey stick, adding to Ty (now frowning and confused), "Watch my coffee," without allowing him another chance to speak.

He took hold of the cups, then followed her out.

Outside, she only had to follow the sounds of the voices. In truth, it also would have been impossible to miss the crowd. Dom braced the stick in her hands, holding it as she would when chasing after the puck in a game, her hands gripped so tightly that she could feel the painted wood digging into them. Then, she found where the group of people came together.

Jay was in front of them, Alex not too far away. Whatever doubt had been in Dom's mind about them being a couple vanished.

_The couple that bullies together, stays together_, she thought bitterly.

Jay had on what looked suspiciously like Rick's glasses. He was the person holding the crowd's rapt attention, the ringleader. It was Rick's voice that Dom heard first, however. The words made her freeze in her tracks, hands still gripped on the hockey stick, staring at the scene with nobody yet aware that two others had joined their midsts.

"What are you gonna do, hurt me?"

Jay dramatically answered back with, "One, violence is never the answer." He kept on the glasses, grinning widely and mischievously. "Two... we don't care."

It happened to quickly for Dom's mind to immediately register. One instant, Jay was indicating the people around him. The next, he punched Rick in the stomach, hard, forcing a gasp from the latter. Dom gasped as well, the stick almost falling from her hands, but she got a grip on herself quickly. She dashed over, leaving a very confused Ty to stand and watch on the sidelines, looking rather ridiculous with the two cups of coffee in his hands.

In the moment it took Dom to find her place, Jay took off the glasses, dropped them on the cement ground, and stepped on them, uttering a chuckle and a nonchalant, "Whoops."

Emma, the girl from lunch, was also stepping forward to make a move as Rick, short of breath, said, "Who wants the next shot? Spinner?" That tone in his voice only made Dom do what seemed impossible: tighten her grip further on the hockey stick. She felt the wood break the soft skin of her palms, but that didn't change the emotional response.

Alex balled up her fist with only one word: "Me." Emma stepped in front of her; Dom stepped in front of Rick, holding the hockey stick out in front of her so that it blocked the closest percentage of the group around him. Rick was still doubled over, holding his stomach and letting out gasping coughs. Instead of backing up to him, however, Dom stepped forward to confront Jay.

"Ribbon campaign's over, Emma!" Alex yelled into Emma's face.

"Yeah, so is this!" Emma shot back. She shoved the former, holding her arms out in front of Rick.

"Ever had your ass kicked by a hockey player?" Dom asked simultaneously, her face, in turn, in Jay's. "No, better... a _female_ hockey player?"

Dom shot a predatory look at the rest of the group, including Alex, even though she was clearly deterred by Emma, ribbon-girl herself. Chances are that it wasn't fear or intimidation holding the crowd back, but sheer shock at what was happening before them.

"You haven't been taught to mind your business yet, have you?" Jay asked, but he took a single step backward. It isn't often that you get threatened with a hockey stick out on the streets... and Dom's face clearly pronounced that she _would_ use it if she had to. "Do you have any idea what this _psycho―_"

"I _know_," Dom cut off. "He told me himself. Believe it or not, I've heard worse. No, forget that – I've _seen_ worse. _I'm_ worse."

Silence. This statement was met by confused (some blank) stares, free of audible reaction. Dom felt Rick sharpen behind her, most likely from his own stunned curiosity. That, or he was beginning to find the strength necessary to stand up straight again.

Dom took advantage of the rapt attention.

"My mom never gave up on me. She must've given me... I don't know, at least twenty different chances before I made it to where I am now. She was there for me when nobody else was... and now I plan on doing the same for Rick." Then, she looked around at the group. "So... you can either go through me or you can go back to your leisure time. Your choice."

Scattered whispers and mutters spread through the group like an ocean wave. The choice was unanimous – leisure time. Most gave Dom either scared, disappointed, or uncertain looks, and others gave Emma glances more along the lines of disgust.

As the crowd returned to The Dot, a place that Dom was beginning to feel was going to be less and less like her territory by the second, Emma relaxed her arms. She sighed and put a hand up to her face, strained. Dom relaxed as well, letting the top of her hockey stick come to the ground and rest, holding it vertical with one hand like a sentry situated at royalty's door. She let out her own sigh, but this one was matched by a melancholy gaze. Then, she turned, coming face-to-face with Emma.

"I thank you for totally giving me the surprise of a lifetime, I really do, but..." She looked at Rick, who wasn't fully standing yet, but watching her with surprise all his own as if he had forgotten his pain anyway. "I think I should really talk to Rick alone right now."

Emma looked between them. Her loss for words welcomed Dom's request; she merely had to nod before walking off. As she did so, Dom caught Ty's eye a few feet away. He wasn't looking any less confused than before, but Dom could only make a small gesture with her head, signaling, "You, too." Ty caught it, and he sat the two coffees on the ground and followed Emma away with a final timid glance back in Dom's direction.

Rick was once again trying to stand up, but Dominica, her voice cracking, spoke a sharp, "No." Then, softer, "Sit. Please."

As Rick's breathing was still made up mostly of coughs and gasps, he didn't argue. He slid down with such little strength that Dom had to bite down on her lower lip to keep back tears that were threatening to well up in her eyes. She didn't like this – a moment of strong defense being defeated so easily by feminine emotion. It wasn't like her. Well, it never was before, at least. She was such a strong, almost-heartless individual...

Or... perhaps that was just what she wanted to be...

Carrying the stick as if it suddenly weighed a hundred pounds, Dom walked over to sit down beside Rick. It was dèjá vu, except that they were now in an overgrowth-filled alleyway that was so gloomy despite the happy afternoon sunshine.

"I've been hit in the stomach enough. It's better to sit it out," Dom said, not even looking at Rick. She was staring at the green before them. The tears had left her voice, but not her eyes. Not entirely. There was a major difference between being strong and simply putting things away in your mind. Being strong meant that you got over them; repressing them merely meant that they were hidden until they came back to haunt you another day. And it was all starting to come back to her now.

Dom finally settled her eyes on Rick. He looked distinctly different without his glasses on, possibly because this was the first time that Dom had seen him as such, and she found herself wondering if he could still see well enough to know if she made eye-contact with him or not.

A few seconds of silence went by that way before Rick finally spoke.

"You probably shouldn't have done that." His voice had regained most of its strength. "They'll be singling you out as well."

"I'm not afraid of them." Saying that, Dom _did_ look Rick in the eyes.

Suddenly, it was him looking sympathetic.

"You just moved here," he said. "Your experience shouldn't have to be ruined already."

"Yeah, about that..." Dom said, with a sharp intake of breath through gritted teeth. "I think you and I should talk. Again... You've been completely honest with me, and now I think that it's time for me to return the favor."

"This... is about why you came here, isn't it?"

Dominica nodded slowly.

"But first..." she went on, getting up from the ground, wiping the slight blood from her palms off on her dark-washed jeans. "Coffee is the best cure for injury, I always say. And I don't know why, but, anyway..." The two drinks that Dom had gotten earlier remained where Ty had left them. Dom picked them up and brought them over, handing one down to Rick. "I got this for you. Before, you know, I knew that you were out here."

Once Rick had taken the coffee, Dom sat back down next to him. They _did_ need to talk, and they would, but not here. Not quite yet. It was an unspoken agreement between them as they sat quietly, occasionally sipping from their coffee cups.

First, they were both in need of some leisure time of their own, even if it was confined to a single dirty alleyway.


End file.
